An email from Denmark

By

The signer's name is withheld, as per request:

In these times of war and oppression, it is very heartening to read the news that a "Buy Danish"—campaign is rising in USA. I don't know if you, living in an enormous country like USA, can imagine how it is to live in a small country like Denmark these days. It is easy to feel left alone with all of the muslim world against us. Furthermore, the half—hearted support from the European commision leaves us with the feeling that our dearly beloved freedom of speech and freedom of press is being butchered by islamic fanatics in the Middle East.

It all started with a debate in Denmark about these twelve cartoon drawings of Muhammed. There were much rumble about whether JyllandsPosten crossed the line by publishing them. One the other hand, the newspaper did it to raise a debate on self—censorship among Danish cartoonists. Many of those very afraid of assaults by muslims living here. The result was that no one dared make drawings for a children's book on Muhammed's life — a book by Kaare Bluitgen which was published recently with drawings made by an anonymous cartoonist. By how come Danish cartoonists were afraid of reprisals from Danish muslims? Was the danger of doing so only imaginary? Quite on the contrary. About half a year ago, a professor at the University of Copenhagen was beaten up by two or three young muslim men. The muslim men were furious that the professor had cited verses from the Koran in one of his lectures. The thing is that the professor had Islam and the Middle East as his field of study and were of course using the Koran as a pathway to understand the muslim culture.

So how is it living in Denmark today? Well, the daily is hardly changed except that the media is overflowing with news on burning flags and images, and new threats on the Danes working in the Middle East. Recently, two men working for the Danish milk company, ARLA, was attacked in the U.A.E., and as recent as today the editorial offices of the JyllandsPosten in both Copenhagen and Aarhus were evacuated due to bomb threats. It's tough to see a more and more fanatic group of muslims challenge basic freedom rights of our country.

For several years now, Denmark and USA have been close friends and allies in the war on terror. Therefore, it warms the heart of the vast majority of Danes to see that we're not forgotten and left alone.

In these times of war and oppression, it is very heartening to read the news that a "Buy Danish"—campaign is rising in USA. I don't know if you, living in an enormous country like USA, can imagine how it is to live in a small country like Denmark these days. It is easy to feel left alone with all of the muslim world against us. Furthermore, the half—hearted support from the European commision leaves us with the feeling that our dearly beloved freedom of speech and freedom of press is being butchered by islamic fanatics in the Middle East.

It all started with a debate in Denmark about these twelve cartoon drawings of Muhammed. There were much rumble about whether JyllandsPosten crossed the line by publishing them. One the other hand, the newspaper did it to raise a debate on self—censorship among Danish cartoonists. Many of those very afraid of assaults by muslims living here. The result was that no one dared make drawings for a children's book on Muhammed's life — a book by Kaare Bluitgen which was published recently with drawings made by an anonymous cartoonist. By how come Danish cartoonists were afraid of reprisals from Danish muslims? Was the danger of doing so only imaginary? Quite on the contrary. About half a year ago, a professor at the University of Copenhagen was beaten up by two or three young muslim men. The muslim men were furious that the professor had cited verses from the Koran in one of his lectures. The thing is that the professor had Islam and the Middle East as his field of study and were of course using the Koran as a pathway to understand the muslim culture.

So how is it living in Denmark today? Well, the daily is hardly changed except that the media is overflowing with news on burning flags and images, and new threats on the Danes working in the Middle East. Recently, two men working for the Danish milk company, ARLA, was attacked in the U.A.E., and as recent as today the editorial offices of the JyllandsPosten in both Copenhagen and Aarhus were evacuated due to bomb threats. It's tough to see a more and more fanatic group of muslims challenge basic freedom rights of our country.

For several years now, Denmark and USA have been close friends and allies in the war on terror. Therefore, it warms the heart of the vast majority of Danes to see that we're not forgotten and left alone.